Clothes-line reel and pin-holder.



S. TEMPINSKI.

CLOTHES LINE REEL AND PlN HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 20, 1915.

LQOORW. Patented Oct. 10,1916.

2 SHEE TSSHEET I.

wommsj S. TEMPINSKI.

CLOTHES LINE REEL AND PIN HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 20, I915.

Patented Oct. 10, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

STANISLAW TEMPINSKI, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CLOTHES-LINE REEL AND PIN-HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 10, 1916.

Application filed September 20, 1915. Serial No. 51,639.

To all whom it may concern:

. Be it known that I, STANIsLAW TEMPIN- SKI, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothes-Line Reels and Pin-Holders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to the type of clothes lines which are endlesss and de signed for use chiefly in thickly settled places, such clothes lines being supported at their ends upon pulleys and the clothes lines being moved step by step as the articles of clothing are attached thereto.

The present invention provides a receptacle for holding pins and a drum for the clothes line, both consisting of a single part.

The invention further aims to prevent the articles attached to the line from becoming soiled, this being accomplished by disposing a wiper in position to engage the line and remove any dust or other foreign matter that may lodge thereon.

A further purpose of the invention is the provision of a clothes line of the type hereinbefore stated which combines a portion formed of textile and a portion of metal, the latter being used chiefly as the return whereas the portion of textile is utilized for receiving the clothing or other articles to be exposed for bleaching and drying, thereby preventing any possible injury to delicate fabric from rust.

The invention also provides fora close and uniform winding of the line upon the drum and the movement of the line so as to insure contact between the same and the wiper whereby any dust or like foreign matter is removed, thereby keeping the lines clean.

WVith these and other objects in view, which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement of parts wh1ch Wlll be hereinafter fully described and particularly claimed.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferred form of the invention, it being, however, understood that no limitation is necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited, but that changes, alterations, and modifications within the scope of the invention as claimed may be resorted towhen desired.

Referring to the drawings :Figure 1 is a perspective view of a clothes line embodying the invention;.Fig. 2 is a horizontal section showing the parts on a larger scale; Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section, a portion of the drum being in section; Fig. 4: is a sectional detail of the upper portion of the drum showing the guides for the line and the means cooperating with the guides and drum, said view being taken on the line 4- of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of a portion of one of the wipers; Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view of one of the screw shafts, guide pulleys and a portion of the drum and bracket; Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of one of the guides; Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of the cover and U-shaped frame cooperating therewith showing the parts on a smaller scale.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the Views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The numeral 1 designates a support for the clothes line and the same may be of any construction and is indicated as a post. A bracket is attached to the support and comprises a vertical member 2, a lower horizontal member 3 and an upper horizontal member 4. The parts 2, 3 and t are preferably formed of sheet metal of suitable gage. A. housing 5 extends along opposite sides and in front of the bracket and inclosesa space in which is located the drum and cooperating parts. The outer portion of the housing 5 is made rounding to conform to the drum. The housing rests upon the lower horizontal portion 3 of the bracket and is formed at its upper edge with an inner flange 6, which overhangs the drum and closes the space between such drum and housing provided for receiving the clothes line. The rear vertical edges of the housing 5 are formed with vertical'sleeves' 7 which receive the vertical members 8 of a U-shaped frame which serves to connect the cover 9 and housing to the bracket. The rear portion of the cover 9 is formed with a sleeve 10 which receives the horizontal member 11 of the said U-shaped frame. The vertical members 8 of the U-shaped frame engage the upper and lower horizontal portions of the bracket and thereby hold the cover and housing in position. The cover 9 is flanged so as to embrace the upper part of the housing 5 and thereby shed water and prevent any dampness reaching the line.

The drum 12 is made slightly tapering and is larger at its upper end. The drum is open at its upper end and constitutes a receptacle for receiving clothes pins. The upward taper of the drum results in a close winding of the clothes line thereon. A gear wheel 15-3 is attached to the lower end of the drum 12 and projects slightly beyond the sides of the drum to form a support for the low er winds of the clothes line. A journal projects vertically from the lower horizontal portion 3 of the bracket. and enters an opening on the center of the gear wheel 13 and constitutes an axis for the drum to turn about.

T he clothes line comprises a textile porion. 15 and a metal portion 16, the latter being of relatively small diameter and preferably disposed to wind upon the upper porion of the drum. The portions 15 and 16 of the clothes line are adapted to wind reversely upon the drum 12 so that as one is unwound from the drum the other is wound thereon and vice versa. The textile line 15 by reason of its larger size occupies more space upon the drum than the metal line 16, hence more space is required for the line 15 than the line 16. The metal line 16 is utilized chiefly as the return portion and is not intended to receive the clothes or other articles to be exposed to the air and sunshine. The textile portion 15 of the clothes line is normally wound upon the drum so as not to be exposed to the weather and is unwound from the drum only when in use. The two portions 15 and 16 of the line are connected in a manner to admit of any slack being readily taken up so as to maintain proper tension. As indicated in Fig. 1 a clamp 17 forms means for adjustably connecting the loose ends of the lines 15 and 16. It is to be understood that the drum 12 constitutes one support for the line whereas the other support, not shown, may consist of a suitable pulley located at any convenient point for receiving and sustaining the outer end of the line.

Vertical spaces are provided between the adjacent vertical edges of the member 2 and sides of the housing 5 to receive the portions 15 and 16 of the clothes line, wipers 18 and 19 extend across these spaces in position to engage the line so as to remove any dust or foreign matter therefrom and thereby prevent soiling the clothes or other articles attached to the line. The wipers 18 and 19 may be of any suitable formation so as to effect the desired result. These wipers are detachably fitted to the edge portions of the vertical member 2 of the'bracket to admit of renewal or the shifting of the wipers from one side of the bracket to the other. The active portions of the wipers may be of any suitable material and may consist of felt, textile or bristles. The wiper 18 is of textile or felt whereas the wiper 19 consists of bristles. The back portion of each wiper is rooved, as indicated at 20, to receive the vertical edge portion of the member 2, such back portion being preferably constructed of a strip of metal which has its edge portions folded upon itself to receive the wiplIlg material and to form the groove 20 to receive the edge portion of the member 2.

Two shafts 21 and 22 are disposed at the rear of the bracket and upon opposite sides thereof. These shafts are threaded and are Journaled at their ends to the upper and lower horizontal portions and 3, respectlvely, of the bracket. The thread upon the shaft 21 is coarse whereas the thread upon the shaft 22 is fine. Heads 23 are mounted upon the screw shafts 21 and 22 and support guide pulleys 24 and supporting members 25. Each of the heads 23 is formed with a transverse opening and a vertical extension having a seat 26. The supporting member 25 comprises a long arm 27 and a short arm 27. The long arm 27 rests in the seat 26 whereas the short arm 27 receives the pulley 24 and passes through the transverse opening formed in the head 23. The inner end of the long arm 27 receives a stop 28 which engages the inner face of the member 2 and prevents turning of the head '23 when the screw shaft is rotated to move the head 23 up or down thereon. The supporting mem-' bers 25 may be moved. endwise until the shorter arms 27 are free from their respective heads 23, thereby permitting the lines to be easily engaged with or disengaged from their respective guide pulleys 24. Each of the screw shafts 21 and 22 is provided at its lower end with a gear wheel 29 which is in mesh with the gear wheel 13 so as to be rotated thereby when the drum is turned by the unwinding or the winding of the clothes line thereon. The parts 23, 24: and 25 consti tute elements of a clothes line guide which insures a close winding of the clothes'line upon the drum. The line guide upon the screw shaft 22 moves faster than the line guide upon the screw shaft 21, this being due to the difference in the number of threads to the inch and which is necessary because of the difference in the size of the lines 15 and 16. y

The upper portion of the drum 12 is reinforced by means of a metal ring 30 which is of L-form in cross section, the'vertical flange of the ring entering the drum and the horizontal flange extending over the upper edge of the drum and beyond the outer side thereof. The reinforcing ring 30 also constitutes a track to engage guide pulleys 31 at the upper ends of the screw'shaftsQl and 22. The guide pulleys 31 are flanged, the flanges being disposed to engage over the ring 30 and thereby prevent vertical displacement of the drum. Studs 32 are attached to the upper horizontal portion of the bracket t and depend therefrom and receive the guide pulleys 81. The lower ends of the studs 32 are reduced to form journals which engage the upper ends of the screw shafts 21 and 22. The journal formed at the lower end of each of the studs 32 is indicated at 33 in Fig. 6 and enters an opening in the upper end of the screw shaft and also receives a washer 34 which projects beyond the sides of the screw shaft and supports the guide pulley 31.

In accordance with this invention the bracket receiving the drum and adjunctive parts is attached to a suitable support and the loose ends of the portions 15 and 16'comprising the clothes line are connected and the end portion of the bight portion-0f the endless clothes line thus formed is supported in any preferred and convenient way for instance by a guide pulley, not shown. The clothes pins, shown by dotted lines, are placed within the drum 12 which constitutes a receptacle therefor. The textile portion of the clothes line is normally wound upon the drum and is thereby protected from the weather. WV hen it is required to use the clothes line the cover 9 is thrown open to admit of ready access to the interior of the drum for removing the clothes pins therefrom. A pulling force is then applied manually to the cable 16 drawing the latter toward the housing 5, which action causes a portion of the clothes line 15 to be withdrawn from the drum and a piece of clothing is attached thereto after which other portions are withdrawn from the drum by continuing to actuate the cable 16 to receive additional pieces As the clothes line 15 is unwound from the drum 12 the portion. 16 is wound upon the drum. As the line 15 is unwound it is at the same time subjected to the action of the wiper 19 which removes any dust or other foreign matter therefrom. When removing the articles from the clothes line the reverse of the operation herein described is resorted to, the clothes pins being deposited within the receptacle or drum as they are removed from the line. As the articles are removed from the line the portion 15 is wound upon the drum and the portion 16 previously wound upon the drum is unwound therefrom. It

will thus be understood that the invention provides convenient means for storing the clothes pins as also for housing the working portion of the clothes line to protect the same from the weather and also to remove dust therefrom when attaching clothes or other articles thereto.

The improved device can be supported and operated from any height,"or in any desired location, or from any floor of a building.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In a device of the class described, a drum mounted for rotation'and tapered toward one end, a clothes line connected to be wound upon and unwound from the smaller portion of the drum, and an operating cable connected to be wound upon and unwound from the larger portion of the drum and at the opposite side thereof to the clothes line.

2. In a device of the class described, a drum mounted for rotation and tapered toward one end, a clothes line connected to be wound upon and unwound from the smaller portion of. the drum, an operating cable connected to be wound upon and unwound from the larger portion of the drum and at the opposite side thereof to the clothes line, and means for coupling the free ends of the clothes line and the operating cable.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a drum adapted to receive a clothes line and having a gear wheel rotative therewith, a threaded shaft carrying a pinion engaging the gear, an adjustable head mounted upon said threaded shaft and having threaded engagement therewith, a supporting member mounted for movement longitudinally thereof through said head, and

a guide pulley carried by the supporting inember and adapted to receive said clothes 4:. In a device of the character specified, the combination of a vertically disposed tapered drum, a traveling clothes line having portions reversely wound upon the drum, and oppositely disposed wipers arranged in contact with the portions of the clothes line to remove foreign matter therefrom.

5. In a device of the character set forth, the combination of a hollow drum constituting a receptacle mounted to rotate about a vertical axis, a clothes line supported by the drum, a housing inclosing the drum and clothes line wound thereon, and a cover for closing the upper end of the drum and eX- tending over the housing.

6. In a device of the character specified, the combination of a drum, a clothes line wound upon the drum, a threaded shaft paralleling the drum and geared to rotate therewith, a head mounted upon the threaded shaft, a supporting member comprising long and short arms connected at one end, and a guide pulley mounted upon the short arm to receive the clothes line, said arm movable endwise relative to the head, whereby the line may be engaged with and disengaged from the pulley.

7 In a device of the character specified, the combination of a drum, a clothes line embodying portions of different diameters adapted to be reversely wound upon the drum, two shafts formed with screw threads of different size, and clothes line guides mounted upon the screw threaded shafts and in contact with the different portions of the clothes line, and movable at difierent rates of speed to cause the different portions of the clothes line to wind closely upon the drum.

8. In combination, a vertically disposed drum mounted for rotation and having a gear wheel, a clothes line having portions reversely wound upon the drum, threaded shafts disposed in parallel relation and having pinions engaging the gear of the drum, guide pulleys upon the shafts at their ends and engaging the drum, and guides mounted upon the shafts to receive the clothes line,

whereby the rotation of the shafts causes the guides to wind the lines uniformly upon the drum.

9. In a device of the character specified, the combination of a bracket, a drum mounted upon the bracket, a clothes line having its ends secured to the drum adapted to wind upon the drum from opposite sides thereof, screw threaded shafts geared at one of their ends to the drum, studs engaging the opposite ends of the screw shafts and attached to the bracket guide pulleys mounted upon said studs and engaging the drum, and clothes line guides mounted upon the screw shafts.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

S'lANISLAW TEMPINSKI. [L- S.[

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0. 

